Filipino travelers flying to the United States, or connecting through the U.S., now face one more pre-boarding requirement with the new CDC Attestation Rule Is Now in Effect.
The change took effect after 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on November 3, 2026. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people boarding an international flight to the United States must complete an attestation confirming they have not been present in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) within the previous 21 days. The rule is set out in the CDC’s order at cdc.gov.
For travelers in the Philippines, this matters if your trip departs from Manila, Cebu, Clark, or another Philippine airport and your itinerary goes to the U.S. or connects there. Philippine Airlines separately told passengers that the requirement applies to those traveling to or connecting through the United States in its October 29 advisory at philippineairlines.com.
What changed
Before boarding a covered flight, travelers must now make a CDC attestation about recent travel history. Specifically, the attestation is about whether the passenger has been in the DRC during the last 21 days, based on the CDC order at cdc.gov.
The CDC says the order was amended on October 28, 2026 to clarify that it applies broadly to all people traveling by aircraft to the United States, including certain crew situations. PAL then issued its passenger-facing advisory on October 29, 2026 at philippineairlines.com.
Who is affected
The safest way to read the two sources together is this: if you are boarding an international flight to the United States, expect this requirement to apply. PAL also frames it as covering passengers traveling to or connecting through the U.S.
That makes the change especially relevant for:
- Filipinos visiting family in the U.S.
- OFWs returning to the U.S.
- Students flying to the U.S.
- Travelers using the U.S. as a transit point for another destination
The CDC source is here: cdc.gov. PAL’s passenger advisory is here: philippineairlines.com.
When it started
The effective time given in the research and source material is after 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on November 3, 2026. Because Manila is ahead of U.S. Eastern Time, this became relevant to Philippine departures on November 4, 2026, depending on flight timing and routing.
| Key point | What the sources say |
|---|---|
| Effective time | After 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on November 3, 2026 |
| Who must attest | People boarding an international flight to the U.S.; PAL says passengers traveling to or connecting through the U.S. |
| What the attestation asks | Whether the traveler has been in the DRC within the previous 21 days |
| Source links | CDC order; PAL advisory page |
What travelers should do now
1) Check if your itinerary touches the U.S.
If your trip is headed to the United States, or your airline says you are connecting through the U.S., prepare for an extra document or check at boarding.
2) Be ready to complete the attestation
The CDC says airlines may collect the attestation directly. In some cases, a verbal attestation may be accepted if the passenger has reviewed the wording and confirms eligibility, with the airline recording that confirmation. That detail comes from the CDC order at cdc.gov.
3) Arrive with extra time
Neither source gives a specific extra time recommendation, but this is clearly an added boarding step. Practical takeaway: do not leave check-in until the last minute if you are flying U.S.-bound.
4) Watch your airline’s latest instructions
Since airlines may handle collection directly, check the latest notice from your carrier before leaving for the airport. For PAL passengers, the current advisory page is here.
Caveats and what is not confirmed
There are a few limits to what the sources confirm.
- No fee tied to the attestation was confirmed in the sources reviewed.
- No separate Philippine government explainer for outbound Filipino travelers was identified in the research.
- The clearest primary sources available here are the CDC order and the PAL advisory page.
So if you are traveling soon, rely on your airline and the CDC for the latest operational details rather than social media posts or secondhand summaries.
Quick FAQ
Do travelers from the Philippines need this only if they came from Africa?
No. The CDC order described in the source applies to people boarding an international flight to the United States, not only to those departing from Africa. See cdc.gov.
What is the attestation about?
It concerns whether you have been present in the Democratic Republic of the Congo within the previous 21 days, according to the CDC order at cdc.gov.
Does this include U.S. transit passengers?
PAL says the requirement applies to passengers traveling to or connecting through the United States, based on its advisory page at philippineairlines.com.
Is there a new charge for this form?
No new fee was confirmed in the source material reviewed.
Can the attestation be verbal?
In some cases, yes. The CDC says airlines may accept a verbal attestation if the passenger has reviewed the wording and confirms eligibility, with the airline recording that confirmation. See cdc.gov.
Bottom line: if your flight from the Philippines goes to the U.S. or connects there, expect an added CDC attestation check from November 4, 2026 Manila time onward. Check your airline’s latest boarding instructions before heading to the airport.
Sources
- News&Event
- Order: Requirement for Attestation by All Persons Traveling by Air to the United States | Port Health | CDC
Check official providers for changes before booking.
